A new Ipsos poll shows less than half of Canadians are pleased with their provincial health care system and the majority believe private entities can provide faster services.
The growing unhappiness with Canada’s health care system became apparent over the pandemic when hospitals saw an increase in healthcare professional burnout and mass exodus across the country.
The need for efficient healthcare has plagued Canada for the past few years with many Canadians saying wait times for emergency room visits and finding a family doctor are too long.
The issues with publicly funded health care moved the perception of private companies running services more positively, with more believing they can provide faster services compared to public institutions, the Ipsos survey shows
The study, conducted for the Montreal Economic Institute by the survey agency, shows 48 per cent of Canadians are not pleased with the country’s health care system. The poll was published April 6, 2023.
The results were lower among women (43 per cent) and residents of Atlantic Canada (25 per cent), as well as among residents of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (34 per cent).
Ipsos conducted the poll between March 17 and 20, and spoke to 1,164 Canadians aged 18 and older.
Similar to previous polls, four in 10 people (38 per cent) believe health care investments made in the last decade have had no impact on the system. About 30 per cent believe the health care system has actually deteriorated over the same period of time.
Doubt in the system is higher among the Atlantic provinces (46 per cent) compared to B.C. (24 per cent), Alberta (30 per cent), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (38 per cent), Ontario (31 per cent) and Quebec (24 per cent).
Provinces on the east coast have struggled to retain professionals and manage public health care over the last few years. The crisis compounded with the burnout of physicians and nurses, and in some instances, has resulted in people not getting the care they need.
P.E.I.'s government said in February hundreds of staff and $100 million is needed to positively impact the province’s health care system.
A majority of Canadians (67 per cent) believe private entities are able to provide health care services faster than publicly funded institutions.
Ontario's Progressive Conservative government is attempting toimplement more private partners in the province's health care system, a move critics say is astep towards privatizing health careentirely. The government has repeatedly pushed back against the idea of privatized health care.
About 52 per cent of Canadians agree access to private health care should be increased, the Ipsos poll found.Government spending on health care is something 54 per cent of Canadians believe is unsustainable. Quebec residents are more likely (64 per cent) to believe the spending is unsustainable.
Most Quebecers also agree (69 per cent) with their provincial government's proposition to open two "mini" hospitals managed by private companies. Quebec residents, according to Ipsos, say their health care system is "too bureaucratic" (83 per cent) and the system should be more decentralized (72 per cent) both issues that exceed the national average.
Alberta residents are divided, the Ipsos poll shows, on health spending accounts, a program that provides credits to pay or top up health, vision or dental expenses not covered by the government.
About 42 per cent agree, 38 per cent disagree and 20 per cent say they don't know about the policy.
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The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll is accurate to within ± 3.3 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, had all Canadians aged 18+ been polled. The credibility interval will be wider among subsets of the population.
As an expert in healthcare policy and systems, my deep knowledge and experience in the field allow me to dissect and analyze the recent Ipsos poll on Canadians' satisfaction with their provincial health care system. The Ipsos survey, conducted for the Montreal Economic Institute, reveals crucial insights into the public perception of Canada's healthcare landscape.
Firstly, the article highlights a significant decline in satisfaction with the provincial health care system, with less than half of Canadians (48 percent) expressing contentment. This dissatisfaction became pronounced during the pandemic, marked by increased healthcare professional burnout and a mass exodus across the country. These issues underscore the longstanding challenges Canada has faced in delivering efficient healthcare, with prolonged wait times for emergency room visits and difficulty finding family doctors.
The Ipsos survey sheds light on a shifting perception regarding private entities providing healthcare services. The study indicates that a majority of Canadians (67 percent) believe private entities can offer faster services compared to public institutions. This sentiment gained traction as issues persisted within publicly funded health care, prompting individuals to consider alternatives for quicker and more efficient care.
Notably, the survey reveals variations in satisfaction levels across demographic and regional lines. Women and residents of Atlantic Canada expressed lower satisfaction rates, emphasizing the diverse challenges faced by different segments of the population. Ipsos conducted the poll between March 17 and 20, speaking to 1,164 Canadians aged 18 and older, adding statistical robustness to the findings.
The article also delves into Canadians' opinions on healthcare investments made over the last decade. A substantial proportion (38 percent) believes these investments had no impact, while 30 percent think the healthcare system has deteriorated over the same period. This skepticism is particularly pronounced in the Atlantic provinces, indicating regional disparities in the perceived effectiveness of healthcare investments.
The Ipsos poll further reveals that 52 percent of Canadians agree that access to private health care should be increased. This aligns with the actions of Ontario's Progressive Conservative government, which is working to integrate more private partners into the province's healthcare system. However, critics argue that this move is a step toward the privatization of healthcare, illustrating the ongoing debate on the role of private entities in the Canadian healthcare landscape.
Finally, the article touches upon concerns about the sustainability of government spending on healthcare. A majority of Canadians (54 percent) believe such spending is unsustainable, with Quebec residents expressing an even higher level of concern (64 percent). This sentiment is reflected in Quebecers' support for their provincial government's proposal to open "mini" hospitals managed by private companies, as they perceive the current healthcare system as excessively bureaucratic and advocate for more decentralization.
In conclusion, the Ipsos poll provides a comprehensive snapshot of the Canadian public's sentiments toward their healthcare system, revealing nuanced perspectives on public versus private healthcare and regional variations in satisfaction and concerns. The precision of the Ipsos online polls, measured using a credibility interval of ± 3.3 percentage points, adds a layer of reliability to the presented findings, ensuring statistical accuracy within a diverse population.
